Valuables depository

ABSTRACT

A valuables depository for receiving and storing valuables such as money or the like is disclosed. The valuables depository provides a non-accessible receptable into which the valuables are placed. A lock means is provided to prevent theft of the valuables from the depository. Closure means are also provided so that the depository may be left unattended wherein there is no outside opening from which valuables may be removed or stolen.

United States Patent McMath [4 1 June 27, 1972 541 VALUABLES DEPOSITORY 3,026,022 3/1962 70,415 11/1867 [72] Inventor. Jack A. McMath, Ft. Thomas, Ky. 1,082,375 4/1931 [73] Assignee: Dover Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio 1,416,179 5/ 1922 1,901,904 3/1933 [21] Appl. No.: 80,539

Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney-Kinney and Schenk [52] US. Cl. ..232/1 R, 232/39, 232/43.2,

232/44 [57] ABSTRACT [51] lnt.CI. ..E05g l/04 [58] Field of Search ..232/1 R, 1 D, 17,39,432, A valuables dePsltry ecewmB smrmg 232/44. 109/1 R 73 72 71 66 such as money or the like is disclosed. The valuables depository provides a non-accessible receptable into which the valuables are placed. A lock means is provided to prevent theft of [56] Reerences Cmd the valuables from the depository. Closure means are also pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided so that the depository may be left unattended wherein there is no outside opening from which valuables may be 1,852,053 4/1932 Jendrek ..109/66 removed or Stolen 1,359,412 11/1920 Martin.... ..232/17 X 2,552,915 5/1951 Zachrich ..232/39 X 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures VALUABLES DEPOSITORY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers and more particularly to a valuables depository.

There has long been a need to provide a safe, non-accessible depository for money and the like which may be used by any of a number of retail type outlets in which one or two persons may be operating the outlet at a time. This depository would serve to deter criminals from robbing the outlet and also would prevent the assorted physical acts which often accompany a robbery. In particular, a depository of this type would have great utility for use in service stations which remain open for long hours into the night and are operated by a single man. In recent times, many such single operators have been killed when their station has been robbed at night. Many such stations now only perform services which are to be paid for with a credit card or the exact amount of money, i.e., no change will be given. This, however, still does not prevent the robberies since there is money on the premises to which the operator has access.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a depository into which valuables, such as money and the like, may be deposited for storage until a later time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valuables depository which may be mounted in the outside environment without fear of damaging valuables inside thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valuables depository which is tamper proof or theft proof.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a valuables depository which may be sealed from the outside to prevent access into the interior of the depository until such time as the depository is unlocked by an authorized person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a valuables depository for receiving and retaining valuables therein. The depository is locked so as to provide a tamper proof and theft proof storage of the valuables until such time as an authorized person unlocks the depository. The depository has means to seal the valuables receiving slot such that the contents of the depository are nonaccessible wherein the depository may be left unattended.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show a present exemplary embodiment of this invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of this invention showing the valuables receiving slot of the valuables depository;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the valuables depository of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the outer housing taken on line 4-4 ofFlG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the outer housing taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view, partially in cross section, of the cover for the valuables depository; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the cover of FIG. 6, partially in cross section, taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, which illustrate one exemplary embodiment of the valuables depository of this invention, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The valuables depository 10 is comprised of an outer casing or housing 12 onto which a cap 14 is mounted. The cover 14 is formed with a valuables receiving slot 16 through which valuables, such as money or the like is passed to the inside of the depository 10 for storage. The housing 12 is securedly mounted to a pedestal or base 18 which may be in a concrete island or the like 21.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is seen that the outer housing 12 is cylindrical in shape and has a base plate 20 securedly mounted by suitable means, such as weld fillets 22, to the inside of the housing 12 such that a length or skirt portion 24 of the housing 12 extends below the base plate 20. The base plate 20 is formed with four apertures 26 through which bolts or the like 28 extend when the housing 12 is placed over the pedestal 18. The bolts 28 are secured by welding or other suitable means to the interior 30 of the pedestal 18 and the housing 12 is secured on the pedestal by the tightening of nuts 32 on the bolts 28. Hence, when the cover 14 is installed on the housing 12, the housing may not be removed from the pedestal.

To further prohibit the destruction or theft of the depository 10, the outer casing of the pedestal 18 is made of a strong metal, such as steel, which may be filled with a suitable material such as concrete 30. To further increase the strength of the pedestal, a reinforcing bar 34 may also extend the entire length of the pedestal. The pedestal 18 has a square configura tion rather than round so as to prevent the application of the use of pipe cutters thereon.

Thus, a person would require some means such as a hack saw to cut through the outer pedestal casing and then further cut through the concrete 30 and the reinforcing bar 34 to be able to steal the complete depository 10. This would obviously require a considerable length of time, such that the mounting of the depository 10 in a well lighted area would act as a deterrent to someone wishing to steal the depository.

Lugs 36 are secured by any suitable means such as welding to the inside of the housing 12 at the top thereof: These lugs cooperate with complementary members of the cover 14, to be explained more fully herebelow, in a manner to prevent removal of the cover from the housing. A bar or rod 38 is slidably mounted to the inside of the housing 12. U-shaped guides or channels 40 are welded to the housing 12 to provide proper alignment and guiding of the rod 38.

The cover 14 is seen, FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, to be of an annular dome-shaped configuration. The cover 14 is formed with an annular groove 42 bounded by a flat surface 44 and a protruding lip or ledge 46 which is of a lesser diameter than the internal diameter of the housing 12.

The lip 46 has complementary notches 48 therethrough to receive lugs 36. When the cover 14 is placed on the housing 12, the lugs 36 and notched areas 48 are aligned so that the cover 14 may be lowered until the flat surface 44 engages the top edge or rim of the housing 12. The cover 14 may now be rotated until each lug 36 engages shoulder 50 which prevents further rotation of the cover 14. The cooperative action between the lugs 36, groove 42 and protruding lip 46 act to prevent the cover 14 from being lifted or removed from the housing 12. In addition, the particular dome shape of the cover 14 does not provide for ready gripping of the cover so as to forceably remove the cover.

When the cover 14 has been rotated such that the lugs engage the shoulders 50, the lock rod 38 may be slid upward so as to cooperatively engage a shoulder 52 of the lip 46 to prevent counterrotation of the cover 14. The rod 38 may be secured in this position by attachment of a suitable locking means, such as a pad lock (not shown). To facilitate such locking, a plate 54 having an aperture 56 therethrough is secured to the casing 12. A plate 58 having an aperture 60 therethrough is secured to the locking rod 38 such that when the rod 38 is in the uppermost position, apertures 56 and 60 are aligned such that a pad lock may be inserted therethrough. Referring to FIG. 3, the locking rod is seen to extend below the skirt 24 when the rod 38 is in the unlocked position (shown by dashed lines). That portion of the rod 38 which extends below the skirt may be painted a brilliant color to more easily indicate whether the depository 10 is locked or unlocked. Thus, if any of the brilliant paint of the rod is showing, one knows that the depository 10 is not locked. It can be seen,

F165. 2-3, that the pedestal 18 is not directly centered relative to the housing 12. This permits sufficient room to insert and remove the pad lock but does not provide sufificient room for an unauthorized person to insert any tools so as to break the pad lock. The skirt 24 also serves to inhibit the free access to the pad lock.

The cover 14 has an inwardly projecting wall 62 and an outwardly projecting wall 64 which define the valuables receiving slot 16. As seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the slot is seen to have an elongated rectangular shape opening which tapers from a wide external opening to a more narrow internal opening. The inner opening of the slot 16 extends a sufficient distance inward so that valuables passing therethrough will drop into a suitable inner container 66 which is placed within housing 12. The projecting wall 64 also tends to prevent rain and the like from entering the depository. The advantage of using the inner container 66 is that on opening of the depository 10, the container 66 may be entirely removed facilitating easy removal of the valuables therein. in addition, if by chance water should get in the interior of the housing 12, the valuables are secure from the water damage by being in the container 66. Should any water inadvertently getin the housing 12, the water will drain out through the slot in the base plate 20 through which the lock rod 38 extends.

The depository 10 may be closed and left unattended by the insertion of a seal or plug member 66 into the slot 16. The plug 66 is wedge-shaped and has detent rods 68 and 70 mounted therein to lock the plug member 66 in place when inserted in the slot 16. The detent rods 68 and 70 are held in place by retainer clips 72 and 74, respectively, which engage corresponding abutments of the plug 66. The detent rods 68 and 70 are biased outwardly by any suitable means such as springs 76. Hence, to insert the plug member it is only necessary to urge the detent rods 68 and 70 inwardly until the plug member 66 has been inserted into the slot 16. After the plug member 66 has been inserted through the slot 16 a sufficient distance, the detent rods 68 and 70 will be urged outward by the springs 76 so that the plug member 66 may not be removed without removing the cover 14 from the housing 12.

Although the illustrative embodiment has been described with complementary lug and groove means to secure the cover to the housing, other arrangements could be used. For instance, the cover and housing could be threadably mated together.

It can be seen that the valuables depository herein described has great utility and accomplishes the objects hereinabove set forth. Use of this depository will safeguard valuables from theft. Proper identification and notices that the retail outlet utilizes this depository will put would-be robbers on notice that the retail operator or attendant has no money and that the receipts of any transactions are placed in the depository which should influence the would-be robbers that there is very little to be gained from this place of business. Thus, this invention provides a depository which is of simple and economical construction, is tamper proof, and may be left unattended for long periods of time.

While a present exemplary embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A valuables depository comprising a cylindrical outer housing; a base plate mounted to the interior of said outer housing near one end so that a skirt portion of said housing extends below said plate; a pedestal secured to said base plate to support the housing, said pedestal being secured in an ofi center position; a plurality of lugs secured at the upper end of said housing, said lugs being on the interior of said housing and projecting inwardly; a cylindrical dome shaped cover attachable to the other end of said outer housing, said cover having an annular groove and a protruding'annular lip below said groove, a plurality of notches formed in said protruding lip complementary with said plurality of lugs wherein said lugs will pass therethrough when said cover 15 p aced on said housing so that the lugs will be in the groove area so that the cover may be rotated from a first position to a second position wherein said lugs and protruding lip coact to prevent removal of said cover from said housing; shoulder stops formed in said groove to engage said lugs in the cover second position; an elongate lock rod slidably mounted to the interior of said outer housing, one end of said rod engaging said cover lip when said cover is in the first position, said rod being aligned with one of said lip notches in the cover second position wherein the end of said rod is movable upward into the groove area to cooperatively engage said cover to prevent counterrotation of said cover thereby preventing removal of said cover from said casing; means for locking said rod in the engaging position; said cover being formed with an inwardly projecting wall and an outwardly projecting wall to define a valuables receiving slot, said slot having an elongated rectangular shape and tapering from a wide external opening to a narrow internal opening; a plug member having a shape complementary with the shape of the slot for external insertion into the slot to close the slot during periods of unattendance of the depository, said plug member being removable from the slot I only from the interior of said cover.

2. The depository according to claim 1 in which said plug member includes a pair of detents secured to said plug member to engage the inside edge of said slot when said plug member is inserted therein to prevent removal of said plug member from outside said housing and springs biasing said detents outward.

3. The depository according to claim 1 in which the other end of said rod extends below said skirt portion when said rod engages said cover lip when said cover is in the first position, said rod other end being within said skirt portion when said rod is movable upward into the groove area.

4. The depository according to claim 3 further comprising a first apertured lock plate secured to the interior of said skirt portion and a second aperture lock plate secured to said rod wherein the apertures are aligned for receiving a lock when said rod is moved upward into the groove area.

5. A depository according to claim 4 further comprising a valuables receiving container placeable in said housing to receive valuables deposited through said receiving slot. 

1. A valuables depository comprising a cylindrical outer housing; a base plate mounted to the interior of said outer housing near one end so that a skirt portion of said housing extends below said plate; a pedestal secured to said base plate to support the housing, said pedestal being secured in an offcenter position; a plurality of lugs secured at the upper end of said housing, said lugs being on the interior of said housing and projecting inwardly; a cylindrical dome shaped cover attachable to the other end of said outer housing, said cover having an annular groove and a protruding annular lip below said groove, a plurality of notches formed in said protruding lip complementary with said plurality of lugs wherein said lugs will pass therethrough when said cover is placed on said housing so that the lugs will be in the groove area so that the cover may be rotated from a first position to a second position wherein said lugs and protruding lip coact to prevent removal of said cover from said housing; shoulder stops formed in said groove to engage said lugs in the cover second position; an elongate lock rod slidably mounted to the interior of said outer housing, one end of said rod engaging said cover lip when said cover is in the first position, said rod being aligned with one of said lip notches in the cover second position wherein the end of said rod is movable upward into the groove area to cooperatively engage said cover to prevent counterrotation of said cover thereby preventing removal of said cover from said casing; means for locking said rod in the engaging position; said cover being formed with an inwardly projecting wall and an outwardly projecting wall to define a valuables receiving slot, said slot having an elongated rectangular shape and tapering from a wide external opening to a narrow internal opening; a plug member having a shape complementary with the shape of the slot for external insertion into the slot to close the slot during periods of unattendance of the depository, said plug member being removable from the slot only from the interior of said cover.
 2. The depository according to claim 1 in which said plug member includes a pair of detents secured to said plug member to engage the inside edge of said slot when said plug member is inserted therein to prevent removal of said plug member from outside said housing and springs biasing said detents outward.
 3. The depository according to claim 1 in which the other end of said rod extends below said skirt portion when said rod engages said cover lip when said cover is in the first position, said rod other end being within said skirt portion when said rod is movable upward into the groove area.
 4. The depository according to claim 3 further comprising a first apertured lock plate secured to the interior of said skirt portion and a second aperture lock plate secured to said rod wherein the apertures are aligned for receiving a lock when said rod is moved upward into the groove area.
 5. A depository according to claim 4 further comprising a valuables receiving container placeable in said housing to receive valuables deposited through said receiving slot. 